The summer heat has been an obstacle for students participating in sports and outdoor activities to overcome. With increasing temperatures, band directors and coaches have advised students to continuously hydrate and dress appropriately for weather conditions.
Because football season begins in August, teams have had to exercise their skills and talent over the summer.
Band director Eduardo Zambrano was in charge of organizing summer band practices. Summer practices took place every day for three weeks.
“It was definitely challenging, but I think it’s just getting us prepared for uniforms and, you know, football games,” freshman Pantera Lively said. “It’s hard, like, just getting used to it.”
Students were advised to bring water, sunscreen and a hat for protection. Water bottles, lunch and snacks were also provided for students on days that lasted from 8 am to 4 pm.
Zambrano said the biggest challenge with summer practices was definitely the heat and making sure students stayed cool. Water breaks were given every 15-20 minutes to ensure the hydration of students, and they were highly encouraged to drink water even outside of practice.
There were some students who struggled to acclimate to the harsh climate, but overall, students performed well despite the challenge.
“It’s so hot in Texas that it’s not even hot anymore,” sophomore Alexander Thorne said.
Senior Tommy Bushong said these band practices were beneficial because everyone walked away better than they were before. It helped the band get ahead of the game.
Athletic director Troy Rogers said summer practices are opportunities for athletes to improve.
“It is the start of a long journey, so it is always exciting to get started,” Rogers said.
Water was provided to athletes by Jan Brister and her student trainers.
“We have the water trailer, and all the water coolers thanks to Johnathon Smalls, Coach Brister and everybody behind the scenes,” sophomore Benjamin Barrett said,
SWAT (Strength, Weight, Agility, Training) would exercise in the early morning and come back around 4 p.m. almost every day.
“There were a lot of student athletes working to get better for the competitive seasons which is an awesome sight to see as a coach,” Coach Jaden Napolez said.
